Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Read the notorious article of the now (in)famous columnist here and here .

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Money doesn't impress me. And it makes me feel sorry for those people who think that just because they have it means they're better than the rest of us. I find it lame and sad. And sometimes it makes me think that no matter how much money you have, you really can't buy grace. Maybe she really was just trying to be funny. Perhaps we just don't get her humour. In any case, it was really done in bad taste. And for someone who proudly claims to have the riches and wit, she really got it all twisted.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Ninoy's, my beloved laptop, hard drive is knackered. HP Support quoted me a whopping 280 quid to have it fixed. That's a ridiculous amount considering I only paid £400, inc. taxes, (my girlfriend bought it on sale in the States 16 months ago) for this notebook. Since I'm not insane enough to pay that exhorbitant fee, I'm still looking for a decent hard drive at a reasonable price in local stores. Getting a brand new notebook is out of the question, at the moment, because I don't think I'll be able to say goodbye to Ninoy just yet. He is my first, you see.

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Twenty-four years ago, Ninoy; not the laptop but the hero (and still beloved nevertheless); was assassinated upon returning home from exile in the US. His death and sacrifice started a revolution which resulted in the overthrowing of a tyrant. In commemoration of his death; I want to dedicate this entry to one of the greatest Filipinos. Ninoy, you will never be forgotten.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Not that I owe anybody an explanation for not updating this blog. It's just that I've been a little busy lately. For two weeks, I worked day shifts. The Ops Manager asked me last week how it was like seeing the sun for the first time in ages. I humored him and answered, "it's been lovely although at first I thought, I'd melt." Hah! And since working days meant seeing a lot of the bosses, I had to work harder. I devised a training plan for my staff which will help them in their development. Now it's easier to track their growth.

And speaking of my staff, the four of us went to dinner last week with the boss and his assistant. It was alright. The food was good but I don't really enjoy dinner in fancy restaurants kasi hindi ako nabubusog. Food served in fancy dinners are only good to look at, pag kinain ko na, bitin! And then we went bowling afterwards. That was all right too. Nothing special really except for the soreness of my arm muscles the morning after.

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A very belated birthday greeting to Franny! I hope you had a wicked day. And advance birthday greeting to Tanya. Ingat ka diyan sa disyerto.

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Because I'm such a dork, let me share you what I've been obssessing lately. Eight Words is a an internet game where the aim is to gain points by creating words from the selection of eight letters given to you on-screen. Longer words give more points. Like Text Twist but this allows you compete with other online players.

Hey lady, you lady, cursing at your lifeYou’re a dedicated mother and a regimented wifeI’ve no doubt you dream about the things you should have not doneBut, I wish no one had talk to GarciLike you, did son of a gun!Oh, you’ve been to Cebu and Cotabato and anywhere you could campaignYou took the hand of a preacher man and he prayed over you in the rain (Amen!)But you ran out of places and friendly faces and you just wanted to be freeYou’ve been to the palace but you’ve never been to us.Please lady, please lady, please just walk awayAnd we don’t see the need to tell you why you’re better gone todayWe can see so much of you still living in our eyesBut we won’t share a part of our weary heart that’s tired of your million liesOh, you’ve been to Jolo and the Isle of Sulu where you did your campaign on a raftYou talked Ilonggo in Iloilo and showed ‘em what you’ve gotYou’ve been hailed by jueteng kings and you’ve made some calls that a candidate ain’t supposed to doYou’ve been to the palace but you’ve never been to usSpoken:Hey, you know what victory is?It’s a lie, a fantasy you created with the help of the people in places you trustedBut you know what truth is?It’s the high post you’re occupying; it’s that apology you made that fateful eveningThe same apology you may keep saying every day and every nightThat’s not the truth, that’s still a lie.Sometimes we’ve been to crying for indigent children who crave for something to eatWhile you live the sweet life that those children could only dream of in their sleepWe’ve spent our life condemning the blatant cheating that costs too much to be doneHey lady,You’ve been to the palace (You’ve been to the palace)But you’ve never been to us.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

I've been tagged. And because I have trouble following and understanding written instructions, I had to read and re-read this at least 20 times:

In the 8 facts about [name], you share 8 things that your readers don’t know about you. At the end, you tag 8 other bloggers to keep the fun going. Each blogger must post these rules first.

Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

At the end of the post, a blogger needs to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

So without any further ado, here are some random things about me:

Unlike most kids, I liked the dentist when I was younger. I looked forward to having my teeth extracted. And although the sight of the needle made me a little uncomfortable, I was never scared of it. I loved going to the dentist because my Nanay would always get me ice cream and ice cold coke after and because the dentist would always say, "Uy ang tapang. Hindi umiiyak". And that always made me feel real proud of myself.

Most of my shoes are size 11, some are size 10 and a couple of them are size 12.

Between 1994-1996, I cut news articles from the PDI almost everyday. The stories were from the business section and were mostly about positive developments in Philippine economy. I was so obssessed with those financial news, I considered taking up Economics in college. I kept the articles in at least two shoeboxes which are most likely gathering dust by now somewhere in my parent's house.

I don't eat chocolates because I find its smell repulsive.

Whenever I use the bathroom/toilet in houses other than my family's, I have this weird feeling that when I open the door, I will be transported to a magical place.

In 1992 when the Philippines was gripped by a power crisis, I wrote a long letter to the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative telling them off. I was twelve.

To help save the environment, I don't use straw for my drinks. I also do other things but they should be in a whole new entry.

About Me

A former work colleague described me as an England-based Japanese-looking Filipino with a Spanish name and an American accent. I drink Belgian beer in Irish pubs and frequent Chinese buffets when lunching out. For breakfast, Scottish haggis is a must and Italian dinners always leave satisfied. Latin-American cinema facinates me and French architecture makes my head reel, in a good way. I once smoked a Cuban cigar and absolutely loved it. One day I'll visit Chile, Morocco and Vietnam. I'll try everything once. From eating Jamaican patty whilst playing Russian roulette to downing Singapore slings after dancing the Viennese waltz. I'll even camp out in the Australian outback as long as I stay away from the Brazilian wax.
But if you really want to know me in acht Wörter, Ako ay isang Batanguenyong-Kabitenyo na ipinanganak sa Mindoro.